Check out these little snippets of comping based on a Brazilian feel. I basically took the guitar and bass parts and put them together. I added seconds to the bass line to add a percussive sound to the rhythm. The guitar more so than the piano plays a very rhythmic part in this music. Also that fact that I grew up playing guitar, I was drawn to this instrument. Listen to real Brazilian music and check out the guitar. You'll hear these rhythms. Try and recreate them with the feel that you hear.

This section will cover grooves. Ethnic and other grooves. When it comes to ethnic grooves like Latin and Brazilian ones, I don't consider myself an expert. This is mainly for the reason that I didn't grow in Brazil or Cuba. Those musicians are the real experts!

However I have played with many great musicians who were truly experts in these styles. They gave me tips and advice and ways to learn and adapt the music to the vibraphone. This is what I can pass along to you.

This is a difficult chord study etude. It's straight eighth notes and based on 'Blues for Alice' changes. Definitely not a performance piece but it will get you moving around the instrument and working on chord melody ideas.

This is a 4 mallet etude. It's the head to the tune Beautiful Love.

This etude will give you some ideas of how to accompany yourself when playing a head. The great thing about accompanying yourself when playing a head is that the melody and the rhythm of the melody is pretty much already decided. It will be basically the same way every time. So now you fit your accompaniment around the melody. This is much easier than accompanying a solo when you really don't know what you're going to play.

It's great to work hard on accompanying yourself on the heads of tunes.

When I write etudes I really try to work on aspects of live playing. Most of my etudes will be centered around tunes and focus on accompanying yourself playing a melody and soloing. Some of the etudes attempt to show how little you really have to play to accompany yourself and make the harmony work. There's a real misconception in my opinion about how much you have to play to accompany yourself in a solo setting. I don't think the vibes should be played like a piano. They're not a piano, they're a vibraphone. I try to reflect that as much as I can in these duets.

Here's a great warm up exercise and a great exercise for your hands and your mind.

You play all the modes of a Major Scale all in a row, that is continuously.

Here's a mide file of what it sounds like:

You should get the idea. The scales are in 7/4, up 2 octaves and back then immediately start the next one. If you need some help below is a link to a pdf that shows you via notation.

Everything about Scales and Modes

On this tune 'Don't Get Around Anymore', make sure you learn the hits that I play on the head of the tune. It's a cool syncopated tune!

Play along with the duets. Play vibes or even marimba and add your part and then upload it for others to check out!

I created these so you can get some ideas on how to comp for other instruments. Also this will help you're solo playing.

A couple things to consider:
1. If you can accompany me in this setting then when you play with a bass things will be even simpler. In this setting your voicings have to be very clear, you have to do all the work.

2. If you are in settings when you have to accompany another soloist with the support of a bass working like this will help you.